Mail inserting and collating apparatus

Abstract

Mail inserting and collating apparatus includes an envelope conveyor for continuously conveying envelopes along a first path; a plurality of envelope carriers mounted on the envelope conveyor and movable therewith, for holding the envelopes; an insert conveyor for continuously conveying a plurality of inserts along a second path, at least a portion of the second path running substantially parallel and adjacent to the first path; a plurality of pockets mounted on the insert conveyor and movable therewith, for holding the inserts; a rotatable kicker roller for removing a lowermost insert from a stack of inserts and moving the lowermost insert toward a pocket adjacent the stack, the kicker roller having an arcuate rubber projecting surface for engaging the lowermost insert from the stack during rotation of the kicker roller and a vacuum port extending through the kicker roller and terminating in the projecting surface; a drive for intermittently rotating the kicker roller; a vacuum supply for supplying a vacuum to the vacuum port such that the combination of the vacuum and the rubber-like projecting surface results in removal of the lowermost insert from the stack; a cam arrangement for moving each envelope carrier toward a pocket at an insert and envelope merge station; a pocket adjustment assembly for changing the length of each pocket at the insert and envelope merge station; and each envelope carrier including a first finger for holding an envelope thereon, and a second finger for holding the envelope and inserts therein at the insert and envelope merge station.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. Mail inserting and collating apparatus comprising: envelope conveyor means for continuously conveying a plurality of envelopes along a first path;   at least one envelope carrier means mounted on said envelope conveyor means and movable therewith, for holding said envelopes on said envelope conveyor means;   insert conveyor means for continuously conveying a plurality of insert along a second path, at least a portion of said second path running substantially parallel and adjacent to said first path;   at least one pocket means mounted on said insert conveyor means and movable therewith, for holding said inserts on said insert conveyor means;   cam means for moving each envelope carrier means toward a respective pocket means at an insert and envelope merge station; and   each envelope carrier means including first finger means for holding an envelope thereon, and second finger means for holding said envelope and inserts received in said envelope at said insert and envelope merge station.   
     
     
       2. Mail inserting and collating apparatus according to claim 1; wherein each envelope carrier means includes envelope support means having a surface for supporting an envelope thereon, and said first finger means is pivotally secured to said envelope support means and has first grasping means for clamping an envelope between said first grasping means and said envelope support means at a longitudinal edge of said envelope. 
     
     
       3. Mail inserting and collating apparatus according to claim 2; wherein said first finger means includes actuating means for pivoting said first finger means on said envelope support means in response to an external force to move said first grasping means to a clamp position in which an envelope positioned on said surface of said envelope support means is clamped between said first grasping means and said envelope support means at a longitudinal edge of said envelope or to a release position in which an envelope positioned on said surface of said envelope support means is not clamped between said first grasping means and said envelope support means. 
     
     
       4. Mail inserting and collating apparatus according to claim 3; further including spring means for normally biasing said grasping means to said release position. 
     
     
       5. Mail inserting and collating apparatus according to claim 4; wherein said first finger means is pivotally mounted on said envelope support means by a pivot pin, and said spring means includes a torsion spring wrapped about said pivot pin. 
     
     
       6. Mail inserting and collating apparatus according to claim 3; wherein said actuating means includes first and second release bearings on opposite sides thereof. 
     
     
       7. Mail inserting and collating apparatus according to claim 2; wherein said first grasping means is made of a magnetically attracted material and at least a portion of said envelope support means is made of a magnetic material for holding said first grasping means in said clamp position. 
     
     
       8. Mail inserting and collating apparatus according to claim 2; wherein said second finger means is pivotally secured to said envelope support means and has second grasping means for clamping an envelope and said inserts received therein between said second grasping means and said envelope support means at a position on said envelope spaced inwardly from said longitudinal edge. 
     
     
       9. Mail inserting and collating apparatus according to claim 8; wherein said second grasping means is made of a magnetically attracted material and at least a portion of said envelope support means is made of a magnetic material for holding said second grasping means in said clamp position. 
     
     
       10. Mail inserting and collating apparatus according to claim 8; wherein said second finger means includes actuating means for pivoting said second finger means on said envelope support means in response to an external force to move said second grasping means to a clamp position in which an envelope positioned on said surface of said envelope support means and said inserts received therein are clamped between said second grasping means and said envelope support emans at a position on said envelope spaced inwardly from said longitudinal edge or to a release position in which an envelope positioned on said surface of said envelope support means is not clamped between said second grasping means and said envelope support means. 
     
     
       11. Mail inserting and collating apparatus according to claim 10; further including spring means for normally biasing said second grasping means to said release position. 
     
     
       12. Mail inserting and collating apparatus according to claim 11; wherein said second finger means is pivotally mounted on said envelope support means by a pivot pin, and said spring means includes a torsion spring wrapped about said pivot pin. 
     
     
       13. Mail inserting and collating apparatus according to claim 10; wherein said actuating means includes first and second release bearings on opposite sides thereof. 
     
     
       14. Mail inserting and collating apparatus according to claim 8; wherein each envelope carrier means includes a guide block secured to said envelope conveyor means and movable therewith, and at least one guide rail means is secured to said guide block for slidably supporting a respective envelope support means thereon for movement toward and away from said guide block. 
     
     
       15. Mail inserting and collating apparatus according to claim 14; wherein each envelope carrier means includes spring means for normally biasing said envelope support means on said at least one guide rail toward said guide block. 
     
     
       16. Mail inserting and collating apparatus according to claim 15; wherein each envelope support means includes cam follower means; and said apparatus further includes cam track means for guiding said cam follower means to move said envelope support means on said at least on guide rail away from said guide block and toward and a respective pocket means at said insert and envelope merge station. 
     
     
       17. Mail inserting and collating apparatus according to claim 16; wherein said first finger means includes first actuating means for pivoting said first finger means on said envelope support means is response to an external force to move said first grasping means to a first clamp position in which an envelope positioned on said surface of said envelope support means is clamped between said first grasping means and said envelope support means at said longitudinal edge thereof, or to a first release position in which an envelope positioned on said surface on said envelope support means is not clamped between said first grasping means and said envelope support means;   said second finger means includes second actuating means for pivoting said second finger means on said envelope support means in response to an external force to move said second grasping means to a second clamp position in which an envelope positioned on said surface of said envelope support means and said inserts received therein are clamped between said second grasping means and said envelope support means at a position on said envelope spaced inwardly from said longitudinal edge, or to a second release position in which an envelope positioned on said surface of said envelope support means is not clamped between said second grasping means and said envelope support means; and   each envelope carrier means further includes release means for engaging said first and second actuating means to move said first and second grasping means to said first and second release postiions, respectively.   
     
     
       18. Mail inserting and collating apparatus according to claim 17; wherein (a) said release means includes (1) a release lever pivotally secured to said guide block, said relase lever including (i) kicker means for engaging said first and second actuating means to move said first and second grasping means to said first and second release positions, respectively, and   (ii) engaging means for pivoting said release lever in response to an external force such that said kicker means engages said first and second actuating means, and     (2) spring means for normally biasing said release lever in a direction such that said kicker means is out of engagement with said first and second actuating means, and     (b) said apparatus further includes release lever engaging means for applying said external force to said engaging means to move said kicker means out of engagement with said first and second actuating means, to thereby move said first and second grasping means to said first and second release positions, respectively.   
     
     
       19. Mail inserting and collating apparatus according to claim 18; wherein said release lever engaging means includes solenoid means for applying said external force to said engaging means. 
     
     
       20. A method of inserting mailing inserts into envelopes, comprising the steps of: supplying said envelopes to at least one envelope carrier means for holding said envelopes;   clamping each supplied envelope in a respective carrier means with first clamping finger means secured to the respective envelope carrier means;   moving said envelopes clamped to said envelope carrier means along a first path;   supplying said inserts to at least one pocket means for holding said inserts;   moving said inserts in said pocket means along a second path in which at least a portion of said second path runs substantially parallel and adjacent to said first path;   moving each envelope carrier means toward a respective pocket means at an insert and envelope merge station to move said pocket means into said envelope; and   clamping said envelope and inserts received in said envelope at said insert and envelope merge station with second clamping finger means secured to the respective envelope carrier means.   
     
     
       21. A method according to claim 20; further comprising the step of unclamping said first and second clamping fingers from said envelope to release said envelope after said insert and envelope merge station. 
     
     
       22. A method according to claim 21; further including the step of one of: moving said envelopes to a postage station, unclamping said first and second clamping fingers from said envelopes and applying postage to said envelopes,   moving said envelopes to a conveying station, unclamping said first and second clamping fingers from said envelopes and conveying said envelopes to another location, and   moving said envelopes to a misfeed section, unclamping said first and second clamping fingers from said envelopes and conveying said envelopes to selected misfeed bins.   
     
     
       23. A method according to claim 21; wherein said step of clamping said envelope with said first clamping finger includes the step of clamping said envelope at a longitudinal edge thereof, and said step of clamping said envelope and said inserts received therein with said second clamping finger includes the step of clamping said envelope and said inserts received therein at a position on said envelope spaced inwardly from said longitudinal edge. 
     
     
       24. A method according to claim 20; further including the step of directing a jet of air toward each envelope before said insert and envelope merge station to open each envelope to receive said inserts.